What is a Hollow Core Door?

Wooden doors come in three types: solid wood, solid core and hollow core. As you would expect, solid wood doors are made from thick slabs of wood. They are strong, secure and are good insulators. They are also rather costly which makes them a natural choice for external doors. Solid core doors have a thin veneer of high-quality natural wood fixed over a core of engineered wood, such as HDF. Hollow core doors, contrary to their name, do not have an empty void at their centre. Instead they have a thick solid frame, and a core made of plastic or cardboard. This core is usually constructed in a hexagonal ‘honeycomb’ pattern; one of the strongest structures found in nature. This makes the doors more solid, robust, and soundproof. Hollow core doors are lightweight, easy to fit and inexpensive, which makes them a popular choice for internal doors. They are also very versatile. This honeycomb core can be contained within a variety of veneers that can be matched to any decor. They can even be made to resemble far more expensive solid wood doors.

Why Might You Need to Trim Your Hollow Core Door?

There are a number of reasons you might want to trim a door. You might have an awkward door frame in a non-standard size that makes purchasing a new door incredibly difficult. You could estimate the size or even misread your tape measure. Mistakes do happen, and can mean that when your new door turns up it’s an inch too tall for its frame. You may even need to resize old doors. After installing a plush new carpet with a deep shaggy pile, you’ll probably notice your doors start to catch. The thicker the carpet, the more clearance it will need, but a new door might seem a daunting expense after replacing flooring. Could it be quicker, cheaper and easier just to trim the existing doors instead?

Can Hollow Core Doors Be Trimmed?

The short answer is yes, hollow core doors can be trimmed. Hollow core doors have a strong block outer frame, which leaves a couple of inches of solid wood at the top, bottom and sides of the door. When it comes to allowing for alterations, this frame makes them a lot more forgiving than you might think. This counts for the sides as well as the bottom and top of the door. This answer does come with a ‘but’ though. If you cut off too much of the door’s top, bottom or sides you could damage it’s structural integrity.

How Much Can You Trim off a Hollow Core Door?

Removing an inch or so from a hollow core door to allow for a thicker carpet, misread tape measure or wonky doorframe will be fine. However, cut off too much - roughly over 2 inches - and you may notice that the edge of the door is no longer solid. As such, while it is possible to trim hollow core doors, it isn’t always advisable to cut them down if serious alterations are needed. If too much is cut off the edge of a hollow core door, the structural integrity of the door can be compromised. This can be fixed by reinserting a block from the bottom of the door inside the veneer using glue. Though this may sound simple, it can be fiddly. There is a lot of potential for it to go wrong, leaving you with a door that is even more unsuitable than it was before. In general, it’s advisable to avoid going to these extremes. That said, if all you’re looking to lose is a thin layer from your door, then read on for a quick guide on how to trim hollow core doors.

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Category: Technical Tips

May 10, 2018

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Call our team

Visit our Essex showroom!

Send us an email

Category: Technical Tips

May 10, 2018

Prefinished vs. Unfinished Doors

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

What Type of Door Do I Need?

How to Replace a Door Frame

How to Correctly Hang & Install a Door

The Difference Between Solid and Engineered Doors

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